India T20I Squad For South Africa Series Announced: Hardik Back; Gill's Involvement Subject To Fitness Clearance

India have announced their squad for the five-match T20I series against South Africa, with Suryakumar Yadav named captain and Shubman Gill designated vice-captain, but subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has also made a comeback after fully recovering from a quadricep injury, which he sustained during India's successful Asia Cup title defence.

The 32-year-old underwent rehabilitation at the COE and returned to competitive cricket in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he impressed with an unbeaten 77 for Baroda against Punjab.

Gill, meanwhile, continues to recover from a neck injury suffered during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata. The 26-year-old retired hurt early in that match and missed the second Test in Guwahati as well as the ongoing ODI series.

Reports emerged that the right-handed batter has resumed batting sessions at the CoE and is scheduled for a return, but his availability for the T20Is will depend on passing that test.

The squad announcement also highlighted some notable omissions. Rinku Singh, who had been a regular in India's T20 setup, has been dropped for this series. Yashasvi Jaiswal, a strong contender for an opener's slot, has not been included despite strong performances earlier in the year. Other names missing include all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Riyan Parag.

India's T20I Squad For South Africa Series:

The squad blends youth and experience, featuring Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, wicketkeepers Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson, alongside a bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah with support from Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana.

The T20I series begins on December 9 in Cuttack and runs through December 19 in Ahmedabad, following the ongoing three-match ODI series where India lead 1-0 after a 17-run win in Ranchi, and a preceding two-Test contest that the Proteas swept 2-0.

This tour also serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka in 2026.

Both India, the defending champions, and South Africa will look to test their combinations and build momentum ahead of the global event.

India's vs South Africa T20I Series: Schedule

In the second match, India have set a 359-run target, thanks to centuries from Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad, late onslaught from stand-in skipper KL Rahul.

Meanwhile, the Indian team jersey for the T20 World Cup was revealed during the second ODI against South Africa. India are in Group A along with arch-rivals Pakistan, the United States of America (USA), the Netherlands and Namibia.

The jersey was unveiled by former India captain Rohit Sharma, who is also the brand ambassador of the tournament, and member of the Indian T20 side Tilak Varma.

India's title defence will begin with a group match against the USA in Mumbai on February 7.